Casing elevator



April 2o, 1926. 1581375 L E ZERBE v CASING ELEVATOR Filed March 20, 1922 V Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

'ICORRANCE,` CALIFORNIA,ZA CORPQRATIQN OF CALIFORNIA.

VCASING ELEVATOR.

Application fiierivraren 2o, 1922. `serial' No. 545,102.

To f/ZZ whom z't may concert:

Be it known Ithat I, Lewis 'E Znnnn, a

citizen of the United `tat'es, residing:at`

Moneta,iin the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Casing Elevator, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to casing elevators and is particularly directed to an elevator of the type generally used for raising, lowering or supporting well casings, sucker rods, and pump tubing.

An object of the invention is to provide a two-part hingedly united elevator contouredto clefine a vertical bore having a minimum diameter adjacent the upper surface of the elevator with the remainder of the bore of larger diameter to provide clearance permitting a tilting of the elevator while engaged upon a well casing and to permit a closing of the gate while the elevator is engaged in a tilted position upon a well casing.

A further object is to contour the inner surfaces of the bore so as to require a minimum amount of inachining in the manufacture of the eleva-tor.

Various other objects and advantages will be inore fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of thls disclosure, and

which illustrate a preferred form of embodi-- -ment of the lnvention.

' Of the drawings-` Figure 1 is a plan view of the elevator; and

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 vof Fig. l, showing the el-evator engaging a well casing.

The general type of elevator hei-ein illustrated is the same as that illustrated in the patent to Double & Youngken, No. 1,358,9113,

issued November 16, 1920,-to which referv ence may be had for detailed illustration and description of parts which are not herein shown and described.

rl `he body portion of the elevator 'comprises a substantially U-shaped casting 1,

the medial concave inner surface of which forms an approximate half circle and is adapted to engage the casing or rod to which the elevator is applied. Diametrically opposed ears 2 2 extend outwardly from the body 1 and are provided with transverse orifices 3-3 to receive the ordinary and well known bails vby which the elevator is supported.

rfhe gate 4 is hinged to the body at 5v and its free end-is eng-aged by a latch 6`y carried by the body '1, tomaintain the gate Closed, said latchpbeing,operable to release thel gate land permi't it to be swung outwardly so that the elevator may be engaged with a well casing. 1

The inner medial surface of the gate is concaved to conform tothe conca've surface of the body and when the gate is closed both surfa'ces register to forma Vertical bore adapted to receive the object with which the elevator is engaged.

In elevators of this general type, and especially in the structure disclosed in the previously mentioned patent, the walls of the bore closely'embrace the casing, tubing or rod, at both ends of the bore and consequently allow a closing of the gate only when the elevator is positioned with the axis of the bore accurately aligned with the axis of the casing, tubing or rod to be engaged.

Such an accurate manipulation of elevators of this class' is undesirable especially on account of the time required tol engage the elevator upon the object to be handled.

each provided withlateral flanges 7 extend-` ing downwardly a relatively shortV distance from the top surface of the elevator toV de- *fine a bore of minimum diameter, the remaining portion of the bore being of larger diameter so as to provide sufiicientl clearance, as atS, to perlnit a slight relative tilting of the casing 9 and the elevator, it being understood that the minimum diameter of the bore is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the casing so as to permit such relative tilting. V

By so providing a bore which is enlarged from the lower surface of the elevator upwardly throughout a majo-r portion'of its length, I am able to fully close the gate 4 while the elevator is in a tilted position upon the casing so that instead of having to first accurately align the elevator on the casing the operator can apply the elevator while in a position of approximate alignment. This results in a great Saving of time in the manipulation of the elevator and a greater degree of certainty in the latching of the gate.

A further Vadvantage of the present construction resides in the substantial reduction in the length of that portion of the bore which it is necessary to machine, it being evident that only the short fianges 7 require machining, thevremainder or that portion of larger diameter being Cast into the parts.

While the form of device herein shown V end described is a preferred form, it is not intended to limit the invention to the preeise details thereof, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forme7 all Coming Within the soope of the following claim.

I claim:

A well casing elevator eomprising a body and a gate hingedly united and having com-L plemental concave inner snrfacesoperative,

` day of March,

n hen'thegate is elosedfto provide a Vertical bore, end aV latoh for maintaiining the gate Closed and operable to releesethe gate, said conoeve surfeces having oomplemental flanges extending downwardly a relatively short distance from'the top surface of the elevator to define a sn'iooth-surfaced interior bore dialneter and to provide diametricel clea-rance below said flanges to permit tilting of the elevzitoi* While engaged with a well casino.

Signed atTorrance, California, this llth LEVVIS E. ZERBE. 

